This invention relates generally to games of chance and, more particularly, to an enhanced form of the table game known as Roulette.
Historically, the game of Roulette has succeeded in attracting the attention of casino gamblers worldwide, and includes a Roulette wheel having a plurality of numbered pockets (38 pockets in xe2x80x9cAmerican Roulette,xe2x80x9d 37 pockets in xe2x80x9cEuropean Roulettexe2x80x9d) around a periphery inside a bowl shaped housing. Each pocket is associated with a color as well, such as red or black in conventional Roulette, that creates a background for each number of the numbered pockets. The housing is adapted to spin or rotate about a vertical axis, and an operator, or croupier, introduces a ball into the spinning Roulette wheel housing tangentially to the periphery of the wheel and in a direction opposite to the rotation of the wheel. Typically, the ball travels around the periphery of the housing multiple times before falling toward the center of the wheel. Ultimately, the ball comes to rest in one of the pockets in the Roulette wheel. Typically, a number of obstacles on the outer periphery prevents a simple, harmonious fall of the ball and assures the character of Roulette as a game of chance.
Gamblers place bets on where the ball will ultimately come to rest for each round of the game by placing chips or markers on a bet layout on the surface of the Roulette table. The markers or chips are placed in a position corresponding to the wager made on the outcome of the round. For example, a player may bet on a single pocket number by placing a chip on the corresponding place on the layout. If the player wins the bet, he wins a payout depending on the odds of winning the bet, which is, for example, typically 35:1 for a xe2x80x9cstraight upxe2x80x9d bet on a particular numbered pocket of the wheel. Other number combination bets that may be made include a xe2x80x9csplitxe2x80x9d that the ball will fall into one of two numbered pockets with 17:1 odds, a xe2x80x9ccorner xe2x80x9d bet that the ball will fall into one of four numbered pockets with 8:1 odds, a xe2x80x9cstreetxe2x80x9d bet that the ball will fall into one of three numbered pockets with 11:1 odds, and a xe2x80x9csix linexe2x80x9d bet that the ball will fall into one of six numbered pockets with 5:1 odds.
A variety of other bets with smaller payouts may be made as well, including whether the ball will land in a xe2x80x9coddxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cevenxe2x80x9d pocket, a xe2x80x9csmallxe2x80x9d pocket (one of pockets 1-18), a xe2x80x9cbigxe2x80x9d pocket (one of pockets 19-36), a black pocket or red pocket for which the payout is 1:1, and a xe2x80x9cdozenxe2x80x9d bet and a xe2x80x9ccolumnxe2x80x9d bet for which the payout is 2:1. If the ball lands in the pocket numbered xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d (or xe2x80x9c00xe2x80x9d in American Roulette), in one version of the game the house wins every bet, i.e., every bet loses, except bets wagered on the xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d pocket (or xe2x80x9c00xe2x80x9d in American Roulette). In another version of the game popular in Europe, all bets except 1:1 payout bets and bets wagered on the xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d pocket (or xe2x80x9c00xe2x80x9d in American Roulette) lose, and 1:1 payout bets lose half of their value when the ball lands in the pocket numbered xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d (or xe2x80x9c00xe2x80x9d in American Roulette). While Roulette is an enjoyable game, the basic routine of the game has been unchanged for decades, and the popularity of Roulette is losing ground to newer, faster-paced games of chance with larger payouts.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a fresh, more exciting game of Roulette to recapture the interest of gamblers.
In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a Roulette game includes a Roulette wheel adapted for rotation about a vertical axis and at least one bet layout. The Roulette wheel includes a plurality of numbered pockets indicated by a color and a number greater than zero on a periphery of the wheel, and at least one xe2x80x9cDead Numberxe2x80x9d pocket indicated by non-number indicia and a color other than the colors of the numbered pockets. The bet layout includes a plurality of regions on which to place a bet on the final position of the ball in the Roulette wheel for each round of play. Bets are placed by positioning a marker in a respective region on the bet layout.
In accordance with traditional Roulette, the Roulette wheel is rotated about the vertical axis after players have placed their bets. At least one ball is introduced tangentially to the periphery of the wheel and in a direction opposite the rotation of the wheel. Eventually, gravitational forces cause the ball to fall into a pocket on the wheel. Once the ball has come to a final position, bets are paid or collected in accordance with conventional Roulette.
However, if the ball falls into the Dead Number pocket, a xe2x80x9cDead Numberxe2x80x9d is declared and all bets are collected except bets on individually numbered pockets and all the other number combinations of the wheel. In other words, the bets on individually numbered pockets are unaffected, namely xe2x80x9cstraight upxe2x80x9d bets, xe2x80x9csplitxe2x80x9d bets, xe2x80x9ccornerxe2x80x9d bets, xe2x80x9cstreetxe2x80x9d bets and xe2x80x9csix linexe2x80x9d bets, while all other bets lose, namely xe2x80x9cdozenxe2x80x9d bets, xe2x80x9ccolumnxe2x80x9d bets, even bets, odd bets, red bets, black bets, xe2x80x9csmallxe2x80x9d bets, and xe2x80x9cbigxe2x80x9d bets. A new deal is declared after all bets have been collected except bets on individually numbered pockets of the wheel. In the new deal the Roulette wheel is rotated in the opposite direction as the preceding spin, and at least one ball is again introduced tangentially to the periphery of the wheel and in a direction opposite the rotation of the wheel for a new round of play. New bets may be placed until xe2x80x9cNo more betsxe2x80x9d is announced.
Thus, the Dead Number provides a second chance for bets on individually numbered pockets, and the spinning of the wheel in the opposite direction after a Dead Number adds a new dynamic to the game. No region on the bet layout corresponds to the Dead Number pocket, so bets cannot be placed on the Dead Number. Instead, the higher payout bets are given another chance and the lower payout bets are collected when the ball falls into a Dead Number pocket. Thus, a simple but interesting sequence of events is added to the game that makes the game more enjoyable and exciting.